country factsheet quantifying kindness, public …

In 2018, the Carnegie UK Trust published data exploring people’s experiences of kindness, public engagement and place in England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The research framed a series of questions that allowed us, for the first time, to ‘quantify’ kindness, to measure people’s attitudes towards collective action, and to compare responses across jurisdictions, places and social groups.

• We asked people about the PLACE they live in.• We asked people the extent to which they

experience KINDNESS in their community and when using public services.

• And we asked people how they felt about different forms of PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.

Research was conducted by Ipsos MORI on behalf of the Trust. The surveys were run with representative random sampling for approximately 1,000 people in each of the five legislative jurisdictions in the UK and Ireland.

This factsheet contains the data that relates to Wales, where 1,011 adults over the age of 16 were included in the poll. Where relevant, comparison is made with data from other jurisdictions.

Quantifying kindness, public engagement and placeExperiences of people in Wales

Factsheets for England, Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland, as well as a data booklet that compares the five jurisdictions and provides more detail on methodology and analysis, are available for download at http://bit.ly/quantifying-kindness. If you would like to access the datasets in SPSS format, please contact [email protected].

COUNTRY FACTSHEET

DATA FROM OTHER JURISDICTIONS

2 Quantifying kindness, public engagement and place

When asked to self-identify where they live, ‘village’ and ‘town’ are the most popular description of place in Wales. Two out of five people in Wales live in a town, and another two out of five in rural communities, with only a fifth living in cities.

Most people in Wales experience kindness in their communities and reciprocate this in their behaviours. Fewer people feel strongly about this, but still most people “strongly agree” that they make time to speak to their neighbours (53%) and that they could rely on someone in their neighbourhood for practical help (54%) or to keep an eye on their home if they were away (63%).

There is a similar picture with respect to public services: more than 85% generally agree that people are treated with kindness by police, social care and public transport, but less than a third feel strongly about this. Despite this, half of people in Wales feel that they have the right amount of control over public services.

The Welsh town population is comparable with the rest of the UK (excluding Ireland), but there is a much more pronounced urban: rural split. Wales has the largest proportion of people living in rural communities out of any jurisdiction in the survey, and the smallest proportion of people who identify as living in cities.

Respondents in Wales reported similar levels of kindness to those in Ireland and Northern Ireland, with around half of people strongly agreeing that they give and receive support. Reported levels of kindness were higher than those in England, but slightly lower than Scotland.

This comparison holds true with regard to experiences of kindness in public services, where Wales ranks above England, similar to Ireland and Northern Ireland, but below Scotland. Unlike other jurisdictions, where there is an urban-rural pattern to experiences of kindness, in Wales, those living in towns experience the lowest levels of kindness – in both communities and public services.

THE PICTURE IN WALES

HOW WALES COMPARES

WORDING THE QUESTION

Place – we asked people to self-identify their place using a standard 6-point scale.

Kindness in communities – we asked respondents to think about ‘people in this area’ not including family members or anyone they live with; and questions acted as proxies for kindness, eliciting its reciprocal nature – that is, both giving and receiving kindness.

Kindness in public services – we wanted to find out about direct and indirect experiences of public services, but not views that were influenced by the media; and so we asked people about “your own experience, or what you have heard from a family member or close friend”.

Public engagement – we were interested not just in what people do, but whether they think this is effective – and whether there is a gap between people’s attitudes and behaviours.

Wales has the largest proportion of people living in rural communities out of any jurisdiction in the survey, and the smallest proportion of people who identify as living in cities

In Wales, those living in towns experience the lowest levels of kindness – in both communities and public services

3 Experiences of people in Wales

PLACE

Self-identification of place

Self-identification of place by social grade

Self-identification of place by life satisfaction

City – 21%

Large city 8%

Suburb or outskirts of large city 8%

Small city 5%

Town – 37%

Town 37%

Rural – 42%

Village 39%

Countryside 3%

Wales has the smallest city population and largest rural population of any jurisdiction in the UK and Ireland.

City Town Rural

ABC1 C2DE

HIGH MEDIUM LOW

City Town Rural

People in cities were more affluent than those in towns and rural areas...

...but they report lower levels of life satisfaction than those in towns and villages.

City-dwellers in Wales had the lowest levels of life satisfaction of any place in the UK and Ireland.

41%

22%

53%

17%

55%

15%

3% 3% 5%

59%

76%

47%

80%

45%

80%


KINDNESS IN COMMUNITIES AND PUBLIC SERVICES

Experiences of kindness in communities: “agree” vs “strongly agree”

Experiences of kindness when using public services: “agree” vs “strongly agree”

Like the rest of the survey, most people in Wales generally experience kindness, but the numbers who feel strongly about this are much smaller.

THE BIG PICTURE

Thinking about your local area, and not including family members or anyone you live with, to what extent do you agree or disagree with the following?

Based on your own experience, or what you have heard from a family member or close friend, to what extent do you agree or disagree that people are treated with kindness when using…

Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

People in this area are generally kind

I have helped someone in this area in the last 12 months

I make time to speak to my neighbours

If my home was empty, I could count on someone in this area to keep an eye on itI could turn to someone in this area for practical support if I needed itI could turn to someone in this area for emotional support if I needed it

In Wales, the proportion of people who experience kindness from GP surgeries is lower than everywhere except for England.

GP surgeries

Public libraries

Social care services

Police services

Public transport

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%



Experiences of kindness in communities by gender (“strongly agree”)

Experiences of kindness when using public services by gender (“strongly agree”)

FOCUS ON GENDER

44%

43%

50%

49%

55%

51%

63%

63%

58%

49%

47%

35%

Women in Wales are more likely to feel they have someone to turn to for support.

Female (base size = 578) Male (base size = 433)

People are generally kind...I have helped someone...I make time for neighbours...Someone would keep an eye on my home...Someone would offer practical help...Someone would offer emotional support...

NOTE ON THE ANALYSIS

Most people in the UK and Ireland generally agree that they experience kindness, but fewer people feel strongly about this. We decided to use the “strongly agree” data as a more affirmative response, indicative of strong feelings of kindness and connection – and one which revealed more significant variations between the experiences of different social groups.

When we looked at kindness in public services we wanted to report on actual experiences, and so the base size excludes those who responded “don’t know” at each individual category.

45%

43%

49%

41%

33%

30%

32%

25%

32%

28%

Women report higher levels of kindness when using police and public library services in Wales.

Female Male

GP surgeries

Public libraries


Police services

Public transport


44%

43%

50%

40%

30%

35%

29%

29%

26%

35%

46%

42%

53%

46%

54%

53%

67%

60%

58%

50%

39%

44%


Experiences of kindness in communities by social grade (“strongly agree”)

Experiences of kindness when using public services by social grade (“strongly agree”)

In general, experiences of kindness are greater among higher social grades.

In Wales, higher social grades were more likely to experience kindness in public libraries – this is comparable to England, but in Scotland and Northern Ireland the reverse was true.

When using public transport (and social care services), C2DE's experience higher levels of kindness.

FOCUS ON SOCIAL GRADE

ABC1 (base size = 486) C2DE (base size = 521)

People are generally kind...I have helped someone...I make time for neighbours...Someone would keep an eye on my home...Someone would offer practical help...Someone would offer emotional support...

ABC1 C2DE

GP surgeries

Public libraries


Police services

Public transport


47%35%

55%

47%40%

51%

30%27%

40%

31%25%

32%

30%24%

36%

39%46%

51%

40%54%47%

43%54%

61%

56%65%66%

54%51%

59%

39%40%

47%


Experiences of kindness in communities by age group (“strongly agree”)

Experiences of kindness when using public services by age group (“strongly agree”)

Experiences of kindness tend to increase by age group – although those in 'middle age' are more likely to have helped someone in the last 12 months.

Unlike other jurisdictions, in Wales older people and younger age groups experience 'kinder' services than those in 'middle age'.

FOCUS ON AGE

16-34 (base size = 231) 35-54 (base size = 274) 55+ (base size = 226)

People are generally kind...

I have helped someone...

I make time for neighbours...

Someone would keep an eye on my home...

Someone would offer practical help...

Someone would offer emotional support...

16-34 35-54 55+

GP surgeries

Public libraries


Police services

Public transport

47%



45%40%

47%

54% 43%

42%

29%27%

39%

34%22%

32%

29%25%

36%

Experiences of kindness in communities by place (“strongly agree”)

Experiences of kindness when using public services by place (“strongly agree”)

FOCUS ON PLACE

City (base size = 184) Town (base size = 389) Rural (base size = 438)

People are generally kind...

I have helped someone...

I make time for neighbours...

Someone would keep an eye on my home...

Someone would offer practical help...

Someone would offer emotional support...

City Town Rural

GP surgeries

Public libraries


Police services

Public transport

Town-dwellers were the least likely to experience kindness in their community.

Wales had the 'kindest' rural public transport out of any jurisdiction in the UK and Ireland.

45%31%

54%

47%44%

55%

51%45%

61%

60%59%

69%

51%43%

64%

35%32%

52%


23%

2%

22%

2%

29%

3%

37%

3%

7%

1%

Attitudes towards public engagement

Very effective Fairly effective Not very effective Not at all effective Don’t know

Volunteering or helping out at a local charity or community group

Attending a public meeting

Contacting an elected representative about issues affecting the area

Making a complaint to a service provider

Setting up a community organisation

If you wanted to improve something about your local area, how effective do you think each of the following approaches would be?

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

Feelings of control over public services

Public engagement behaviours

THE BIG PICTURE

People in Wales consider volunteering to be the most effective form of public engagement...

Exactly half of the Welsh population feel that they have the right amount of control over public services.

Too little control Too much control About the right amount of control Don’t know

...but they are more likely to make a complaint or contact an elected representative.

Very likely to Have done in the last 12 months

Volunteering...


Contacting an elected representative...

Making a complaint...


And if you wanted to improve something about your local area, how likely would you be to do the following?

41%

50%

8%1%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%


29%

21%

26%

23%

33%

30%

42%

39%

8%

8%

30%

26%

12%

12%

22%

18%

17%

12%

17%

15%

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

Feelings of control over public services by gender

Public engagement behaviours by gender (“very likely to” and “have done”)

Attitudes towards public engagement by gender (“very effective”)

...and this is reflected in their behaviours: women consider themselves more likely to help out at a local charity.

Women are more likely to consider volunteering to be effective...

FOCUS ON GENDER



Volunteering...





Volunteering...





39%

44%

50%

6%1%

51%

9%

Female Male



27%

23%

26%

23%

32%

31%

42%

39%

8%

8%

30%

26%

11%

13%

18%

22%

15%

14%

18%

14%

Feelings of control over public services by social grade

Attitudes towards public engagement by social grade (“very effective”)

In Wales, higher social grades are less likely to be satisfied with their control over public services.

However, there is no clear pattern between social grades regarding attitudes and behaviours towards public engagement.

FOCUS ON SOCIAL GRADE



Volunteering...





Volunteering...





45% 38%49% 52%

6%9%

1%

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

ABC1 C2DE

Public engagement behaviours by social grade (“very likely to” and “have done”)



32%30%

17%

11%11%

9%

13%18%

26%

16%13%

15%

17%16%

10%

24%27%

20%

18%26%26%

21%33%

37%

37%41%

40%

8%7%8%

Feelings of control over public services by age

FOCUS ON AGE

In Wales, those in the 'middle age' group are the least likely to be satisfied with the amount of control they have over public services.

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

Attitudes towards public engagement by age (“very effective”)

Public engagement behaviours by age (“very likely to” and “have done”)

Like the rest of the UK and Ireland, older people are most likely to consider contacting an elected representative to be effective...

...but younger age groups think volunteering is a more effective way to improve their local area.

Although only one in four consider it to be very effective, 37% of over-55's consider themselves very likely to contact an elected representative.



Volunteering...





Volunteering...





40% 46% 37%52% 46% 52%

10%8% 7%1%

16-34 35-54 55+



30%21%

26%

29%17%

28%

34%26%

36%

46%40%

38%

8%4%

11%

43%23%

26%

21%10%10%

21%17%

23%

22%16%

9%

24%12%

16%

Feelings of control over public services by place

FOCUS ON PLACE

Wales's rural population is most likely to feel they have too little control over public services.

People in cities appear most likely to consider public engagement an effective way to improve the local area – especially with regard to volunteering.

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

Attitudes towards public engagement by place (“very effective”)

Public engagement behaviours by place (“very likely to” and “have done”)

In Wales, people in towns tend to be less active in terms of public engagement.



Volunteering...





Volunteering...





40% 39% 45%51% 54% 47%

8%9% 7%1% 1%0%

City Town Rural



The Carnegie UK Trust works to improve the lives of people throughout the UK and Ireland, by changing

minds through influencing policy, and by changing lives through innovative practice and partnership work.

The Carnegie UK Trust was established by Scots-American philanthropist Andrew Carnegie in 1913.

Andrew Carnegie House

Pittencrieff Street

Dunfermline

KY12 8AW

Tel: +44 (0)1383 721445

Fax: +44 (0)1383 749799

Email: [email protected]

www.carnegieuktrust.org.uk

This report was written by Ben Thurman and Jennifer Wallace

June 2019

country factsheet quantifying kindness, public …

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